This blog is here to amuse you. There are funny stories, pictures, jokes and news. The content is updated every day. Anyone with a sense of humor should get at least one laugh a day. I try to find the unusual... after all you get the usual from all the other places!

Discover Financial Services today announced the launch of a biodegradable Discover(R) Card option, the only U.S. biodegradable consumer credit card currently available in the marketplace.

The biodegradable Discover Card is made of biodegradable PVC, a substance that allows 99 percent of the card plastic to be safely absorbed when exposed to landfill conditions. The card plastic will begin to break down in soil, water, compost or wherever microorganisms are present; with it fully degrading within five years. The biodegradable card can be identified by the biodegradable symbol that will be visible on the back of the card.

December 30, 2008

There's
no need for your four-legged friend to feel as insecure as you do about
the recession. Among the expert suggestions for keeping your dog or cat
on the emotionally sunny side despite your recession gloominess:
maintain his or her accustomed routines, don't neglect health checkups
and preventive care, and - on the offbeat side - buy your pet some
flowers, those with anxiety-relieving properties.

You're not the only one frightened by news of the deepening recession. Also trembling in fear: your pet.

No, your dog or cat isn't reading the Wall Street Journal behind your
back or channel-surfing to CNN's "Moneyline" after you leave the house.

But he or she may be picking up on the recession anxiety you
experience as stock prices tumble and unemployment figures soar, recent
animal-behavior research seems to suggest.

Pets see you worry about the recession and may be needlessly frightened

For example, a University of Florida study
which received considerable attention earlier this month offered
evidence that dogs are more perceptive of human conduct than previously
understood. Other research over the years has described humanlike
cognitive and emotional characteristics in pets, such as an ability of
dogs to read body language and sense fear in humans.

Thus, it holds that your head-in-hands, slump-shouldered, glum-faced
dejectedness over the tanking economy and the recession it portends can
be telegraphed to your pet who might perhaps start fretting - and
grieving - about it along with you.

Dr. Katarina Reilly at the Veterinary Center of Greater Newburyport
in Salisbury, Mass., doubts whether dogs and cats are able to interpret
downcast moods and pit-of-despair gestures in quite so sophisticated a
manner. However, she allows that owners do give their pets
worry-inducing clues when big changes are coming.

"Your pet," she says, "may get anxious if your routine varies," as
could be the case were you to lose your job because of the recession
and start packing a suitcase in preparation for a trip to another city
in search of employment.

Some veterinarians specialized in animal behavior advise against
causing your pet emotional stress because that can trigger physical
health problems.

Of course, it's not possible to engage your dog or cat in reasoned
discourse, rationally spelling out that there's nothing to fear but
fear itself. Still, there are ways to help your pet avoid sharing your
recession-induced funk.

For starters, maintain your pet's accustomed routines. Walks in the
park, having him or her sit in your lap while you watch a favorite
television show, even visiting the vet for periodic checkups and shots
should be continued in order to provide a reassuring sense of stability
despite the instability of your recession-plagued finances just now,
experts recommend.

"Neglecting checkups can lead to big health problems, which are often
difficult and expensive to treat," says Adler, who hints that some pet
owners, in a misguided attempt to save money during a recession, skip
vet checkups. "Preventative medicine is an excellent idea. For pet
parents wanting to save money in the long run, wellness visits should
be made a priority."

Reilly agrees. "It is very important pets routinely see a
veterinarian to evaluate any changes in their health and catch any
problems early," she says. "Blood work is important as well, since it
uncovers things that cannot be seen by the eye. Catching problems early
is important for your pet's health, and can avoid costly treatments if
illnesses go undetected."

Other advice for keeping your pet from feeling as insecure as you do about the recession:

--Exercise.
Adler says letting your pet romp more often (and with your boisterous
participation, more energetically) can serve as a major stress reliever
- for the both of you.

--Moderate
your voice. It's easy to come across as a basket case practically every
time you open your mouth to lament the banking crisis or some other
aspect of the recession. Use care in the tone and tenor you take during
such conversations while your pet is within earshot.

--Give
flowers. Some naturopaths assert that aromatic exposure to certain
fragrant blooms, such as olive blossom and the Star of Bethlehem
flower, can sooth a traumatized canine. Obtain these from a local
florist or nursery.

December 24, 2008

Is It Cheesy to Name Your Baby After a Holiday If Your Due Date is December 25?

Baby Naming Expert Says It's OK To Consider the Name Mary Christmas -- Though With A Few Caveats

As long as the name you choose for your baby feels
like a celebration for his or her arrival, it's fine to go ahead and
tap your favorite holiday, according to an article posted today online
at BabyZone.com, a website that serves the needs of expectant and new moms.

"Holidays like Christmas offer copious options to new parents who
haven't yet decided what to name their baby," says Suelain Moy, baby
name expert and author of the book, Names to Grow On, in the Q&A,
"Is It Cheesy to Name Your Baby After a Holiday?" (Link: http://www.babyzone.com/askanexpert/holidays-baby-name).

According to the feature posted on BabyZone,
Natalie, Natalia, and Natasha all mean "born on Christmas Day." Noel,
Noelle, and Navidad simply mean "Christmas." Many December babies have
been named Nicholas (after St. Nick), Claus (after Santa), or Kris
(after Mr. Kringle). Other festive names include Joy, Holly, and Yule.

However, be aware when making first and last name combinations.

Consider the case of the 90 or so women in the U.S. whose legal name
is Mary Christmas. While Utah-based, stay-at-home mom, Mary Christmas
(nee Young) admits that her name is a big hit during the holidays, she
does encounter her share of doubting Thomases.

"I've had to show people my license a couple of times," she said to
BabyZone. And when her name shows up on the caller ID or on a package,
some folks think it's a prank.

Still, it's hard to find fault with a name that brings people so much
joy and happiness. "People think it's fun," Mrs. Christmas said
(good-naturedly) to BabyZone. "It's positive. It's a conversation
piece." And, as her husband likes to point out, he gets to celebrate
with Mary Christmas, not just on December 25, but all year long.

Family vacation experts honor cheap vacations that consistently deliver the best value, during this recession or any time.

Family Travel Forum (FTF), the leading publisher
of family vacation and travel websites, congratulates the winners of
its 11th annual "Top 10 Getaways” awards. For 2008, FTF editors
searched beyond the “Sale” signs to find hospitality and travel
companies that are always committed to value, offering families a
budget vacation, with or without an economic crisis.

FTF’s Top 10 (Cheap) Getaways for Family Travelers
range from a nationwide child-friendly campground chain to a tropical
island paradise and majestic ski slopes. No matter how different, the
Top 10 (Cheap) Getaway award winners raise the bar for family vacations
by delivering friendly service, shared experiences and innovative
amenities without breaking a parent's piggybank.

FTF honors these 2008 winners for providing family travelers with consistent value.

December 16, 2008

Recession-Proof Underwear

DNA Products (www.dnaproductsonline.com),
a New York-based disposable apparel and linens company, reports that
their unique bloomers business continues to bloom even in tough times.

"Though many businesses and consumers are scaling back right now,
the truth is, everybody still needs underwear," says Danita Harris,
president of DNA Products. Citing a recent article in Forbes, Harris
states that when consumers have less money, they are likely to buy
fewer clothes or switch to cheaper clothing labels but this behavior
occurs to a lesser degree in underwear sales. "Cash-strapped consumers
may delay big-ticket purchases, but they still need food, medicine, and
clothing essentials like underwear. We're fortunate that the current
economic crisis has not affected our sales."

But what is it that makes DNA Products' underwear so appealing to
shoppers? "Our disposable underwear brands are targeted to the business
and leisure traveler," says Harris. "Our ladies brief, ladies thong,
men's brief, and men's boxer are intended to be worn once and
discarded. Each style comes in a three, five, or seven-piece package
roughly the size of a postcard with a total weight less than three
ounces. Travelers simply wear and discard to eliminate laundry, free up
luggage space for souvenirs, and avoid carrying dirty underwear in
their baggage on the return home."

I am completely freaked out by this dudes bellybutton. It's massive. Is it a TUMOR or a BELLYBUTTON?

Still, with the travel industry in its worst slump since the 9/11
terrorist attacks in 2001, one would expect a direct downward trend in
travel underwear sales. But Harris says her company's sales have held
up due in part to those travelers who've opted to downsize their
vacations instead of ditching them completely. "People haven't totally
given up their vacation and travel plans, they're just traveling on a
tighter budget. Many have chosen vacation destinations closer to home
or trimmed one or two days off their vacation to save money."

Here is another kind of weird bellybutton... it's not as weird as the dudes but my god... you could almost fit his bellybutton into hers...where do they find these models?

Since Americans in general value holiday travel, DNA Products should
do well this holiday season. In fact, the company recently introduced a
new addition to its product line just in time for the holiday travel
season. In early November, the retailer offered a new color choice for
its most popular item, LeBrief disposable panties. Previously available
only in white, shoppers may now purchase LeBrief in black trimmed with
hot pink. At $3.50 for a package of 5 pieces, the underwear are priced
to give shoppers a lot of bang for their buck. And for those really
trying to stretch their dollar, Harris notes that the underwear don't
necessarily have to been thrown away after one use. "The lightweight
yet durable fabric allows wearers to hand or machine wash and reuse the
underwear five or six times."

“This year’s list is one of the broadest we have compiled. Our 2008
Automobile of the Year Audi R8 is joined by stalwarts such as the BMW
3-series, newcomers like the Ford Flex, and repeat winners Chevy Malibu
and Volkswagen GTI,” said Jean Jennings, president and editor-in-chief
of AUTOMOBILE Magazine. “These ten cars are the year’s fastest, most
exhilarating, ingenious, awe-inspiring, accomplished, and compelling
cars available in the U.S.”

Each year, the editors of AUTOMOBILE Magazine convene to test, evaluate,
and debate the performance, significance, and pure enthusiast appeal of
the cars that make the biggest impact. Award winners will be featured in
the February 2009 issue of AUTOMOBILE Magazine, available on newsstands
January 6, 2009.

Audi R8 – AUTOMOBILE
Magazine calls the R8 the kind of iconic sports car that comes around
once or twice a decade. Dramatic inside and out, the R8 is wide, low,
and purposeful—it is a luxury grand tourer as much as it is a pure
sports car.

BMW 3-series – Don’t stop
the presses: the BMW 3-series and M3 get another All-Stars award (its
fourteenth, to be exact). Isn’t this déjà vu? As always, the competition
for the 3-series keeps getting fiercer, and, as usual, critics say the
latest, greatest M3 is a bit too refined. But BMW’s masterpiece of
all-things-to-all-people engineering remains more fun than anything
that’s more practical and more practical than anything that’s more fun.

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1–
AUTOMOBILE Magazine editors found that few words have the ability to
adequately convey the rush provided by the most powerful Corvette ever.
The world has produced faster cars, but few offer the same combination
of sound, speed, and exhilaration. 60 mph comes in first gear (in 3.7
seconds) and 91 mph in second.

Chevrolet Malibu – There is
no need to assemble a laundry list of the Malibu’s strengths versus its
many competitors. Drive one, and it is clear why AUTOMOBILE Magazine
named it an All-Stars winner two years in a row. The Malibu is the quiet
American on this year’s All-Stars list: a sedan with crisp handling,
commutative steering, a properly tuned ride, and an overall feeling of
quality.

Ford Flex – With
seven-passenger capacity and generous proportions, the Flex is a vehicle
that defies conventional wisdom. AUTOMOBILE Magazine was taken by the
Flex’s exterior design, which is thoroughly modern while harking back to
the glory days of U.S. automakers, and a cabin that is a masterpiece of
ergonomic engineering and chock-full of high-tech features. The Flex
concentrates on refinement and emphasizes style while being as practical
as a minivan.

Honda Fit– More
than three decades after the original Honda Civic gave Americans a whole
new notion of space utilization, the Honda Fit has come along to amaze a
new generation. The new model’s extra polish elevates the small-car
experience with hidden features, a sleeker exterior, a smoother gearbox,
and a nicer cabin.

Jaguar XF– What one
AUTOMOBILE Magazine editor calls “the best Jaguar sedan I have ever
driven” is a beautiful, composed, powerful, and lush car. The XF is
impressively quick and refined. Driving it is not just about going fast;
it is smooth, refined and comfortable for driver and passengers alike
when being pressed to deliver its full potential.

Porsche 911– From
its birth in 1964 to the arrival of an improved edition last year, the
Porsche 911 has been a rare island of tranquility amid the automotive
industry’s seas of turmoil. The fortified sixth-generation 911 is
gutsier and quicker accelerating, yet it squeezes an additional mpg or
three from every gallon of premium. Breadth of character is another of
the 911’s endearing traits. Rear or all-wheel drive, coupe or
convertible, outfitted for grand touring or track days, there is a 911
for every purpose.

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG–
Mercedes-Benz’s mind-set for its AMG cars is to offer insane power in a
package that skews towards luxury. The C63 AMG makes the leap to the
All-Stars list because it sacrifices the posh-performance DNA of
Mercedes Benz in its quest to be a better driver’s car. Other cars in
the AMG portfolio are faster, but this one is the most fun.

Volkswagen GTI–
With a new version of the GTI due in the U.S. in September, AUTOMOBILE
Magazine applauds this return-to-its-roots VW with yet another All-Stars
award. During its three-year run, the GTI’s performance, comfort, and
functionality kept it out front in the race to be the best sporty
compact car and also made it the 2007 Automobile of the Year.

Criteria and Evaluation

The AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE All-Stars are chosen by the AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE
staff, its worldwide bureau chiefs, and its contributors, following an
intensive test drive of the year’s most innovative and important new
cars. Vehicles considered for the All-Stars awards combine the following
traits:

Redefines an existing category or creates a new market segment

Provides excellent value and performance for the money

Exhibits an exceptional design

Offers pure driving enjoyment

After a 1000-mile road trip, winners are determined by a round-table
discussion that results in a vote for the ten winners. The award
decisions are not made through an instrumented test process.

December 08, 2008

In Spite of World and Economic Conditions, Americans Say They Are
Happy and Look to Get Even Happier

National Survey Report by James T. Medick, Precision Opinion, Inc.,
December 8, 2008

What a year this has been, economic crisis after crisis, jobs imploding,
a presidential election and world terrorism, just to name a few. So the
big question is – how are Americans holding up – what do they fear most
and more importantly what makes them happy?

During the last 2 weeks of November 2008, Precision Opinion – a market
research services firm in Las Vegas, Nevada set out to find the answers
to those and other pressing questions. Using a random digit dial
methodology, Precision Opinion completed 1,385 telephone interviews on a
national basis with adults 18-years of age and older. The statistical
results of a poll this large deliver a margin of error of +/- 3.5% at a
99% confidence level. The poll consisted of 47% male and 53% female
respondents. In other words – these results are considered very accurate.

Regarding the “big” question –just how happy are we as a nation, a full
21% of the respondents rated themselves a “10”. Meaning they are Very
Happy. Only 3% found themselves on the opposite end of the scale – that
is being Not Very Happy. Overall, looking at those who responded to the
10-point scale with an 8, 9, or 10: 64% of the US population find
themselves at this very moment – Happy. Only 5% find themselves not
Happy (answered with a 1, 2 or 3 on the 10-point happiness scale).

However, not everyone is equally happy. The happiest, those who rated
themselves as a “10” are more likely to be 61 years of age or older and
most likely retired. Guess getting out of the rat race does not hurt.
Plus other 10’s on the happy-scale are those who DO NOT have a college
degree, those who are “born-again” and / or go to religious services
once a week or more. And no, democrats are not necessarily happier than
republicans – but women are happier than men.

However, in spite of everything – overall – we remain a “happy” bunch.

But surely, we were all happier last year? Wrong. Get this, 47% of the
respondents say their personal happiness has increased over the past
year – and a full 64% see their happiness increasing even more over the
next 12-months. Optimism reigns supreme.

Those seeing a more-happy future over the next 12-months are more likely
to be 18 to 50 years of age, currently unemployed, born-again, and yes,
you guessed it – a democrat.

Want to know what makes people happy? The theme here was consistent
across the survey with family being the foundation to happiness. In
order of making one the happiest were Children, Marriage / Spouse /
Significant Other, Family, and Religion. These four categories accounted
for 65% of the total responses.

Of course we would not be Americans if other things outside of family
and religion didn’t make us happy. While not being what we call
statistically significant – but most certainly interesting –other
“happiness-providers” were mentioned by the respondents – such as:

“Being away from my husband”

“Loose women”

“Having fuel in the fuel tank”

“Organic food in the refrigerator”

“Beer and cigarettes”

“Going to my support group meetings”

And of course “the new president”.

We are a complicated bunch aren’t we?

Nevertheless, not everything makes us happy – right? The top Un-Happy
Makers include the economy, politics, health, mean people and work.
These five totaled up to 66% of the top un-happy events. However, of
course there were a few unique responses including:

“Lack of sleep”

“Stress”

“The neighbor’s dog”

And, on a worldlier note, “people suffering”.

OK – we now have a pretty good understanding that overall, we are a
happy bunch. Yes, certain things make us unhappy. However, we are
optimistic that everything will improve in the next 12-months.

But wait – of all the things going on in the world today – while we may
be happy, we are bound to be afraid of something – right?

Exactly. We asked the 1,385 adults – of what they are most afraid? We
read off a whole list of possibilities – and the number one thing that
Americans are most afraid of is not the economy, not terrorists, but the
same thing that scares Indiana Jones – SNAKES.

18% of the top responses of things one fears very much were snakes,
followed by more serious issues as not having enough money to retire,
mother-in-laws moving in and oh yea – the collapse of the US Economy.

By the way, the collapse of the US Economy just beat out fear of heights.

It’s nice to know we have priorities.

At least we are more fearful of Terrorists than we are of Aliens.

We will check back in a couple of months – just to see if the happiness
trends continue. In the meantime, keep up the positive attitude – and
stay happy.